Life The Death Penalty - Page 16

Mama Hip Rockets · 08-07-2008, 09:48 AM

A friend of my parents is sentenced to be executed in a couple of weeks for being an accomplice in a murder in 1994. You can read the details of the incident below (written by his wife), and sign the petition if you feel inclined to do so. We are petitioning for his sentence to be changed to life in prison without parole, rather than death.

On Friday, despite the fact that we have two issues before the court, the Missouri Supreme Court set an execution date of Aug. 27. For those of you who would like to do anything to help try to prevent this state from killing my husband, your help is welcome and there are some fairly simple things you can do. For those who are not aware of the facts of the case, here are some main points:Allen Nicklasson, the man who shot and killed Richard Drummond in Aug. 1994 did so on his own after leaving Dennis behind in the stolen car. Allen has been consistent in telling the truth since day one - with his friends and close acquaintances, as well as with law enforcement - that Dennis had absolutely no idea that when Allen walked Drummond into the woods, Allen was going to shoot him. Allen had planned to tie Drummond up so that by the time Drummond could free himself and walk into town to all police, Allen, Dennis and Tim DeGraffenreid would be back in Blue Springs, hiding out.Instead, Allen decided to kill Drummond. His statements to police have been consistent and truthful, but the state successfully kept Allen from testifying in trial. The jury never heard the truth and thus convicted Dennis for first-degree murder as an accomplice. Allen has tried through the years to be heard in court, but the appellate courts denied him that right as well. We are still trying to get the Supreme Court to look at Allen's statements. Dennis is not an innocent victim, but he is innocent of first-degree murder. We are not asking that he be freed. We believe the sentence of death is excessive in this case, and that society would be safe and justice would be served through clemency, which means we want the governor to change Dennis' sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole.In addition, Dennis has been actively involved in restorative justice even before the program was established at Potosi Correctional Center. He is the editor of Compassion, a publication written and edited by death row inmates across the country who have raised more than $34,000 in college scholarships for family members of murdered victims. This scholarship goes to family members regardless of their stance on the death penalty. For example, Zach Osbourne, one of the recipients, supports the death penalty openly and is going to school to become a police officer. Dennis compiled a book, "Today's Choices Affect Tomorrow's Dreams," that is distributed for free to juvenile centers around the country. The book has been so popular, he has been asked to do another. That book is currently being compiled.Dennis is chairman of the prison's Hospice group and has cared for many dying prison patients through the years. He is a co-founder of 4-H LIFE, a family strengthening program that teaches inmates to be better parents and includes a family 4-H meeting each month inside the prison. As a former president and officer of 4-H, Dennis has led fundraisers to send money to children's programs in the state and to send 4-H LIFE members to summer camp and state leadership programs. 4-H LIFE has won several awards and is now active in several other prisons.Dennis has actively worked to build bridges between the Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, Islamic and Native American religious groups at the prison. He is a founder of the Charity Carnival - in its second year - that raises money inside the prison for charitable organizations. The carnival is today, but he is locked up and cannot carry out his responsibilities for that event.Dennis speaks to university student groups on a regular basis to give them insight into the death penalty and prison life. He is, and remains, a positive spokesman and positive role models for other prisoners.He is a leader in the Set Free Ministry, a prison ministry that works with thousands of inmates in Missouri and Illinois to help them in their Christian walk. The Ministry has grown from an office of three to an office of around 20 inmates at PCC and a second office in Charleston's prison. The Ministry continues to expand in prisons in the two states as well as into jails.All of this is documented, not the exaggerated account of a wife desperate to save her husband.For those of you who have asked, I am terrified, but determined to fight for justice for my family. Murdering my husband is not justice - it is harming me, my son, Dennis' sisters, brother, nephews, aunts uncles, friends, etc. He is my soulmate, for those of you who understand what that means. A date is an extremely serious situation, but we have issues to pursue and this does not mean we're done. Please do not assume that this is inevitable, even though we have a very, very difficult fight in the next 32 days.I appreciate your support in any way. Should you want to write letters, file amicus briefs (friend of the court) with your church or other organization, let me know and I'll give you more info. If you choose to pray, please ask God to intervene and see that Dennis receives a lesser sentence.Thanks.

You can sign the petition at the link below. Thanks.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/help-dennis-skillicorn

Micjones · 08-07-2008, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhillyChiefFan

hence me saying...

Not that he would enjoy it.

So certainly the fact that I prefer he deal with the harsher sentence means that I'm not soft on accomplices to murder?

Micjones · 08-07-2008, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dartgod

Are you sure? Do you believe in Heaven and Hell?

I believe in both.

PhillyChiefFan · 08-07-2008, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dartgod

Are you sure? Do you believe in Heaven and Hell?

**DeezNutz** · 08-07-2008, 12:31 PM

Mic, you have referred to "due process" several times. How are you defining this and do you believe this person was denied due process?

Micjones · 08-07-2008, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhillyChiefFan

I'm waiting for the point to be made gentlemen.

**Dartgod** · 08-07-2008, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micjones

I believe in both.

Then perhaps death is not the easy way out. Either way, he's going to eventually die, but maybe he'd like to delay "judgment day" for a few years?

Micjones · 08-07-2008, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Mic, you have referred to "due process" several times. How are you defining this and do you believe this person was denied due process?

He received a fair trial and his day in court.
I simply meant the death penalty would forever cutoff access to new evidence or law that might mitigate his sentence or set it aside altogether.

Frazod · 08-07-2008, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micjones

Do you have children?

No. Closest thing I have is a Goddaughter. But what does that have to do with anything?

**DeezNutz** · 08-07-2008, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micjones

He received a fair trial and his day in court.
I simply meant the death penalty would forever cutoff access to new evidence or law that might mitigate his sentence or set it aside altogether.

Ok. Thanks.

Micjones · 08-07-2008, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dartgod

Then perhaps death is not the easy way out. Either way, he's going to eventually die, but maybe he'd like to delay "judgment day" for a few years?

Perhaps, but it's not as though he wouldn't have time to make penance and peace with God even after being sentenced to death.

I'm not talking about his fate in the afterlife.
I'm talking about simply dealing with the human judgment he'd be faced with.
And I think we'd agree that being put to sleep is easier than rotting in prison for the rest of his life.

Micjones · 08-07-2008, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

No. Closest thing I have is a Goddaughter. But what does that have to do with anything?

I figured as much.

I think your view might be different with children of your own.

**Dartgod** · 08-07-2008, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micjones

And I think we'd agree that being put to sleep is easier than rotting in prison for the rest of his life.

For some, maybe.

**Dartgod** · 08-07-2008, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micjones

I'm waiting for the point to be made gentlemen.

What point?

MOhillbilly · 08-07-2008, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

You really think you can predict how you'd react standing over the bloody, violated corpse of a loved one? Yeah, right.

Now, if you have had a loved one killed tragically, and you stood over this person's body and thought, "darn, that's unfortunate, the guy who did this should probably get locked up for a couple of years," then I'll believe your statement. If not, you are full of shit, because our reactions to sudden, horrible events cannot be predicted.

them Amish did it when there kids got wiped out by that madman.

PhillyChiefFan · 08-07-2008, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micjones

I figured as much.

I think your view might be different with children of your own.

How so? What if this man had killed one of your children?

I believe YOUR view might be different.

08-07-2008, 09:48 AM
Mama Hip Rockets You don't faze me, Gobble. Join Date: Dec 2005 Casino cash: $9915644	The Death Penalty A friend of my parents is sentenced to be executed in a couple of weeks for being an accomplice in a murder in 1994. You can read the details of the incident below (written by his wife), and sign the petition if you feel inclined to do so. We are petitioning for his sentence to be changed to life in prison without parole, rather than death. On Friday, despite the fact that we have two issues before the court, the Missouri Supreme Court set an execution date of Aug. 27. For those of you who would like to do anything to help try to prevent this state from killing my husband, your help is welcome and there are some fairly simple things you can do. For those who are not aware of the facts of the case, here are some main points:Allen Nicklasson, the man who shot and killed Richard Drummond in Aug. 1994 did so on his own after leaving Dennis behind in the stolen car. Allen has been consistent in telling the truth since day one - with his friends and close acquaintances, as well as with law enforcement - that Dennis had absolutely no idea that when Allen walked Drummond into the woods, Allen was going to shoot him. Allen had planned to tie Drummond up so that by the time Drummond could free himself and walk into town to all police, Allen, Dennis and Tim DeGraffenreid would be back in Blue Springs, hiding out.Instead, Allen decided to kill Drummond. His statements to police have been consistent and truthful, but the state successfully kept Allen from testifying in trial. The jury never heard the truth and thus convicted Dennis for first-degree murder as an accomplice. Allen has tried through the years to be heard in court, but the appellate courts denied him that right as well. We are still trying to get the Supreme Court to look at Allen's statements. Dennis is not an innocent victim, but he is innocent of first-degree murder. We are not asking that he be freed. We believe the sentence of death is excessive in this case, and that society would be safe and justice would be served through clemency, which means we want the governor to change Dennis' sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole.In addition, Dennis has been actively involved in restorative justice even before the program was established at Potosi Correctional Center. He is the editor of Compassion, a publication written and edited by death row inmates across the country who have raised more than $34,000 in college scholarships for family members of murdered victims. This scholarship goes to family members regardless of their stance on the death penalty. For example, Zach Osbourne, one of the recipients, supports the death penalty openly and is going to school to become a police officer. Dennis compiled a book, "Today's Choices Affect Tomorrow's Dreams," that is distributed for free to juvenile centers around the country. The book has been so popular, he has been asked to do another. That book is currently being compiled.Dennis is chairman of the prison's Hospice group and has cared for many dying prison patients through the years. He is a co-founder of 4-H LIFE, a family strengthening program that teaches inmates to be better parents and includes a family 4-H meeting each month inside the prison. As a former president and officer of 4-H, Dennis has led fundraisers to send money to children's programs in the state and to send 4-H LIFE members to summer camp and state leadership programs. 4-H LIFE has won several awards and is now active in several other prisons.Dennis has actively worked to build bridges between the Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, Islamic and Native American religious groups at the prison. He is a founder of the Charity Carnival - in its second year - that raises money inside the prison for charitable organizations. The carnival is today, but he is locked up and cannot carry out his responsibilities for that event.Dennis speaks to university student groups on a regular basis to give them insight into the death penalty and prison life. He is, and remains, a positive spokesman and positive role models for other prisoners.He is a leader in the Set Free Ministry, a prison ministry that works with thousands of inmates in Missouri and Illinois to help them in their Christian walk. The Ministry has grown from an office of three to an office of around 20 inmates at PCC and a second office in Charleston's prison. The Ministry continues to expand in prisons in the two states as well as into jails.All of this is documented, not the exaggerated account of a wife desperate to save her husband.For those of you who have asked, I am terrified, but determined to fight for justice for my family. Murdering my husband is not justice - it is harming me, my son, Dennis' sisters, brother, nephews, aunts uncles, friends, etc. He is my soulmate, for those of you who understand what that means. A date is an extremely serious situation, but we have issues to pursue and this does not mean we're done. Please do not assume that this is inevitable, even though we have a very, very difficult fight in the next 32 days.I appreciate your support in any way. Should you want to write letters, file amicus briefs (friend of the court) with your church or other organization, let me know and I'll give you more info. If you choose to pray, please ask God to intervene and see that Dennis receives a lesser sentence.Thanks. You can sign the petition at the link below. Thanks. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/help-dennis-skillicorn
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